Does it seem to you that everything around us is becoming more and more clean, green, and organic? And that everything that doesn’t have that adjective next to it automatically becomes questionable. Over time, it seems that natural and organic skincare has become synonymous with the best skincare products. While this is not true in so many ways, cosmetic companies have realized that customers equate these descriptions with what is good for them and use them extensively.
It has probably happened to you at least once that due to the marketing of natural and organic skincare products, you think that they are better for you. Although this is sometimes the case, it is absolutely not the rule and you should be blindly guided by it. Here’s why natural and organic skincare isn’t always better.
Organic skincare: the origin doesn’t say much about its quality
The fact is that nowadays there are many good ingredients of synthetic origin and bad ingredients of natural origin, and vice versa. The origin of the substance does not say much about its quality. Although many people are thrilled to see that the product is organic and consider it a metric in choosing the best skincare products, you should keep in mind that it means nothing in terms of efficiency. It just tells us where that product came from. When set up like that, it doesn’t sound very significant. Because it’s not.
Although it often sounds to us that natural products for skincare are both clean and safe, we should keep in mind that it is sometimes harder to protect an ingredient of natural origin from contamination compared to its synthetic buddy. We are not saying that this is always the case because it is not. Natural sometimes IS better. But this way we want to point out to you that organic skincare ingredients are not always that flawless.
For the best skincare products: the dose is a significant parameter
You’ve probably heard by now that everything is toxic if ingested in excessive amounts. Yes, if you drank too much water at once you could die, or at least get seriously poisoned. It sounds ridiculous (although it’s a pretty creative way to harm the body), but it’s true.
The dose determines whether something will be safe or toxic. And the same goes for natural products for skin care. If the product is not adequately formulated and contains natural ingredients in concentrations that are not adjusted to the best effect on the skin, irritation, redness, dryness, and other side effects can occur. Because of this, we cannot say that organic skincare ingredients are universally good. The best skincare products are always subjected to various safety and efficiency standards.
Our skin cannot tell the difference
Another reason why natural products for skin care are not necessarily the best skincare products is that at the molecular level, the skin cannot tell the difference between ingredients of natural and synthetic origin. For example, vitamin C from lemon and vitamin C made in the laboratory look identical to the skin and it reacts to them in the same way. The same is true for amino acids and peptides.
However, keep in mind that extracts and juices of various plants (like allantoin) are often used in natural products for skin care. This means that in addition to the main, active ingredient, you apply to the skin all the other substances that are together with it in that extract, and you do not know exactly what those substances are. Therefore, you are more likely to unknowingly expose your skin to irritants or allergens. Therefore, extra caution is necessary when using natural or organic skincare ingredients.
Some natural products for skin care can be bad for your skin
As we have already mentioned, we cannot generally say that natural products for skin care or synthetic cosmetics are good or bad. But what research has confirmed is that there are some natural products for skin care that have not been shown to be the best for our skin. For example, various essential oils used as perfumes can act as irritants. Alcohol is too stripping for most people’s skin. Citrus ingredients can increase the skin’s sensitivity to UV rays. The list goes on and on.
And what’s perhaps worst of all is that sometimes we can’t even recognize that some organic skincare ingredient is damaging our skin because we can’t see with the naked eye. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. That is why it is important to be informed in time about the impact of certain ingredients on the skin and to take care of how our skin reacts.
Conclusion
We hope we didn’t scare you with this article, because that wasn’t our goal. Well, it may have been one of the side goals, but certainly not the main one. The point was to raise awareness that natural products for skin care are not always as perfect as they seem. Of course, if you enjoy natural cosmetics and consider them your lifesaver, you should use them. Some regimen are also founded on ancient traditions and principles, such as ayurvedic skincare — and they can do wonders for your skin.
Just make sure to take note of the composition of natural and organic skincare products — do not blindly believe in marketing tricks, and remember that natural products for skin care are not synonymous with safe!